2012 commitment Mario Pender has always been a Florida State fan

Cape Coral Island Coast High School coach Joe Bowen says you can ask junior running back Mario Pender any question about Florida State football and he'll know the answer.

"He's always been an FSU fan and he knows everything about the Seminoles," Bowen said. "Ask him about anything, about Charlie Ward, anything. He knows the whole history of Florida State football. He's been an FSU fan since he was a very young child."

So for Pender, it was a no-brainer that he committed to play for the Seminoles on Saturday, five games into his junior season at the second-year school in Cape Coral.

What might have hurried his commitment was his attendance at last week's FSU domination of the University of Miami in South Florida. Numerous recruits took in that game and it has weighed heavily on some decision making.

Miami Northwestern star WR Eli Rogers decommitted from Miami over the weekend and star teammate QB Teddy Bridgewater is saying he has some thinking to do.

Pender has done his thinking. Tallahassee will be his new address following next year's senior season. Coach Bowen says he's got everything he wants in a player out of Pender.

"He's very explosive, dynamic ... every time he touches the ball, you kinda hold your breath because something could happen," Bowen said. "He's an exceptional athlete."

The 6-foot, 190-pound Pender is almost strictly a running back in Bowen's Wing-T offense. Recruiting sites list him as a defensive back, but Bowen said, "He plays sparingly on defense."

His numbers are ridiculous. In seven games he has rushed for 1,466 yards on 94 carries, scoring 21 touchdowns, according to the Naples News. He scored five touchdowns in a 55-0 romp over Ida Baker earlier this season. In that game he had a school record 344 yards on just 15 carries (22.9 yards per carry), according to the Cape Coral Daily Breeze.

He's also fast.

"He ran a 100 meters laser time at regionals last year at 10.61 seconds," Bowen said. "But then he came in seventh in the state. He ran his slowest time in the state finals."

Bowen lauds Pender for his athletic ability, but also for his character.

"He's a good kid, everything you want out of a football player," Bowen said. "He never misses a practice. He runs extra. He even runs with the linemen if the linemen are having a bad day . He'll run with them and root them on."

As far as grade issues or admission concerns, Bowen said, "None."

Island Coast sits 4-1 with its big Class 2B, District 6 game this Friday night against Dunbar. The only loss for Island Coast was 13-6 to 3A Cypress Lake in what Bowen said was a "Mud bowl."

When asked what stands in Island Coast's way of making it to the Citrus Bowl and the state title game, Bowen put an emphasis on Orlando Lake Highland Prep.

"How good are they this year?" Bowen asked. "Are they as good as last year."

Time will tell, but if the Highlanders are as good as last year's 28-0 rout of Island Coast in the first round, it could be a bad sign.

"There's way too many things to happen between now and then," Bowen said. "We'll just take it a week at a time for now."